How Do Computer Virus Spread? Prevention Tips

Last Updated on 2 months by Touhid

Do you know How Do Computer Virus Spread? A computer virus is a malicious code that has been designed to spread from one computer to another computer or one network to another network. The computer virus can damage your data, hack your system, and replicate itself.

Different types of computer viruses can spread on computers such as Boot Sector, Direct Action, Resident Virus, Macro Virus, File Infector, Browser Hijacker, and Web Scripting Virus.

How Do Computer Virus Spread?

How Does Computer Virus Spread? Computer viruses may spread in different forms such as images, programs, .exe files, word documents, and other file types. Here are the most common ways that computer viruses spread on your computer:

• Downloads Free Software.
• Download Suspicious E-Mail Attachments.
• Click on Phishing Emails.
• Use External Devices.
• Click on Online Advertisements.
• Click On Malicious File.
• Visit the Infected Website.
• Copying Data from Infected Computer.
• Unsolicited E-Mail.
• Social Media Scam Links.

1. Downloads Free Software 

When you are downloading free software from the internet and if the software or files are infected with a virus then there is a chance that your computer becomes infected with the virus.

Expert Tips

Before downloading software or files from the internet, you have to ensure that the downloading site is secured by SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and your computer has anti-virus software.

2. Download Suspicious E-mail Attachments

If you receive a suspicious email with an attachment file from an unknown source, the attachment file may contain a virus or malicious script. In that case, if you download and open the attachment file then the virus will execute and infect your computer.

Expert Tips

You should never download and open suspicious email attachments or documents to protect you from computer viruses.

3. Click on Phishing Emails

You can get promotional emails (Phishing Emails) in your inbox from an unknown source. These emails may include attachments or URLs that contain viruses or malicious files. If you click on that URL or open the email attachment, then your computer will be infected with the virus or malware to access your computer system.

The phishing email is an email scam that involves fraudulent emails to hack your sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, account data, addresses, and more.

Phishing emails appear to you as valid emails, such as emails from your office, online shopping or a trusted website.

Expert Tips

• Never open any suspicious email attachment files.
• Delete suspicious emails.
• Scan your computer by using antivirus software.
• Do not reply to Phishing Email.
• Never click malicious email links.
• Up to date your Operating system.

Learn More about Phishing Email.

4. Use External Devices

A virus can enter your computer system by inserting external devices such as USB devices, Mobile, and external hard disks. For example, when you connect your mobile devices to your computer and if the mobile has a virus, then your computer could be infected with malware or virus.

Expert Tips

• To protect from computer viruses you should install Antivirus Software on your computer.
• Antivirus software will scan the external devices to detect viruses and remove them.

5. Click on Online Advertisements

If you click on Ads, then it can infect your computer with viruses because the Ads may contain malicious code. Cyber attackers insert malicious codes into ads and place the ads on trusted websites to gain a reputation.

Expert Tips

• It is highly recommended that never click on suspicious online ads.
• Or if you want to click on an ad, then hover your mouse over the ad to see where the URL is redirecting to you.

6. Click on Malicious File

Malicious software is dangerous to your computer. If you click on the malicious executable file, then the malware will spread on your computer. The most common forms of malicious software are viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, adware, or rootkits.

7. Visit the Infected Website

If you visit a virus-infected website and click on a web page link or download any documents, then your computer might become infected with the virus.

Whenever you visit adult, gaming, entertainment, and dating websites, there is a chance to automatically install adware and malware onto your computer.

Expert Tips

• To protect from viruses you should use antivirus software. There are professional anti-virus software such as Norton, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Panda, ESET, Avast, and AVG. So, you can use one of them and keep updated with the updated version.
• Do not click on the infected Web Page content (such as images, ads, videos, and URL links).
• Check the visiting website is secured by SSL(Secure Socket Layer).

8. Copying Data from Infected Computer

If someone asks you “How computer viruses spread?” So, the answer is: that there are different ways that computer viruses can spread. However, copying data from infected computers or external devices is the most common way to spread viruses on computers.

It is a very common way that viruses can spread on your system. Sometimes you need to copy data from another computer or external devices (i.e., USB devices). In that case, if the external devices are infected by a virus, then your computer will also be infected by a virus.

Expert Tips

• To protect from viruses you should use professional anti-virus software such as Norton, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Panda, ESET, Avast, and AVG.
• Need to scan the devices which are used for copying data from another computer.

9. Unsolicited E-Mail

An unsolicited e-mail may contain malicious scripts to spread viruses on your computer. If you open unsolicited e-mail attachments, then your computer will be infected by viruses.

This type of email also contains a link and if you click on that link, then the link will redirect to you a vulnerable website to hack your sensitive information.

Expert Tips

Do not open unsolicited e-mail attachments and never click on the URL link.

10. Social Media Scam Links

There are most popular social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube. These sites can spread viruses on your computer.

Suppose someone shared an image or video or a link and the shared content has malicious code or virus. In that case, if you click on that link then your computer will be infected by viruses or malware.

Expert Tips

• Do not click on shared content that has been shared by an unknown person.
• Inspect the shared URL to confirm whether shared content is malicious or not!

How To Protect Computer Virus?

Here are some important tips for how to protect against computer virus attacks.

• Use antivirus software.
• Ensure anti-virus software is up to date.
• Regularly scan your computer.
• Keep your web browser up to date.
• Keep your software up to date.
• Don’t click on suspicious email links.
• Up-to-date operating system and security patch.
• Never download software from unreliable sites.
• Don’t browse untrusted websites.
• Regularly back up your important files.
• Do not download suspicious email attachments.

Conclusion

In this post, our cyber security team has discussed How Do Computer Virus Spread. They have also suggested important tips to protect from computer viruses. We hope if you follow the above tips, you will be protected from computer virus attacks.